Counter construction for stitchdown shoes



J. RUSZCZYK May 14, 194o.

-DowN sHoEs COUNTER CONSTRUCTION FOR STITCH Filed NOV. 27, 1939 511mm. Jbz Hz/Szczfiz is provided with an inwardly directed groove out-er ply is shown at il. The two plies I and 3()4 l3,-, said groove for stitching down through the inter when bent to shape. As shown in Figure 7, 35

STATES i@ COUNTER CONSTRUCTION FOR STITCH- DOWN SHOES John Ruszczyk, Norwich, Conn.

Application November 27, 1939, Serial N 0. 306,400

3 Claims. (Cl. Sli- 16) This invention relates to certain new and use- In the accompanying drawing: ful improvements in counter constructions for Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational View stitch-down Shoes, of the heel portion of the shoe equipped with In Stitch-down shoes, it has heretofore been the improved counter construction of the presthe practice to insert a counter between the linent invention, 5';

ing and leather of the heel portion of a shoe Figure 2 is avertical cross-'sectional View taken upper, and in the lasting of the shoe the lower on line E- of Figure l, showing the groove at edges of the upper, lining and counter are turned the lower portion of the counter for the recepoutwardly and lasted to the insole by wire, thread tion of the leather of the heel portion of the l() or the like. Thereafter, the welt is laid upon the shoe and the welt strip, outturned lower margins of the upper lining, Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal counter, and leather and these overlying parts sectional View taken on line 3-3 of' Figure 2, are then stitched to the outsole, heel lifts of the Figure 4 iS a Side elevational View 0f the imdesired character being then secured to the heel proved @Gunter Teddy fOr placement irl the heel 15. portion of the outsole. portion of a shoe, l5`l In stitch-down shoes of the foregoing char- Figure 5 is a tOD pieu View 0f the nished aoter the welt, outturned flanges, outsolel and Counter, v heel all project outwardly of the upper heel por- Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view taken on tion of the shoe with the stitching exposed and line @-6 of Figure 4, shOWilig the groove afthis process is indicative of inexpensive shoe forded by the tWO plies 0f the Counter adjaeeiit 20x manufactures. the lower edge thereof, and

It is a primary object of this invention to Figure 'I is a detailed secticnal'view, similar to provide an improved counter construction for Figure 5, ShOWirlg the counter construction bestitch-down shoes so that the completed heel fore the lower edge of the inner ply thereof is portion of the shoe has the appearance of an bent or rlanged outwardly. inseated heel characteristic of expensive shoes. The improved Ceullter may be formed of any A further and important object of the invenappropriate material desired and is preferably tion is to provide an improved counter construcof two-ply construction, the inner ply being intion for stitch-down shoes wherein the counter dicated Vby the reference character ID while the 'adjacent the outturned bottom ange to provide I l are out from flat sheets and are suitably bound a recess to accommodate the lower edges of the together by cementitious material or the like and lining and leather of the heel portion Aof the are of congurations in plan view to produce a shoe upper, with the welt also extending into counter construction design of ordinary characsole and outsole with the welt thereafter poundthe inner ply I of the counter carries a lower ed or forced into the groove to give the appearedge extension I2 that projects below the lower ance of an inseated heel. edge i3 of the inner ply Il. The plies lll and A still further object of the invention is to li with the lower extension l2 are wetted or 40 provide an improved counter construction of the dampened t0 faeilitete bending thereof into the 40 foregoing character wherein the counter is Counter design indicated in general by the referformed of two plies of material, with the inner ence Cheflaeter I4 in Figures 4 and 5, and durply 0f greater depth than the Outer ply and ing SllCl bending 0f 'the COllIlteI blank SllOWIl. li'l turned outwardly at a point slightly below the Figure 7, the lOWer eXterlSiOrl i2 on the inner lower edge of the outer ply to form a groove in Ply i@ iS bent 01 iauged outwardly as at il at 45 which the leather of the heel portion of the shoe a point below the lower edge i3 of the outer ply upper and welt are received for a stitch-downv H t0 provide an illSet glOOVe i5, the lower operation. extension l2 as shown in the flange position l2a With the above and other objects in View that in Figure 5 having a notch i5 intermediate 010- 5r) will become apparent as the nature of the inposite ends thereof to provide a center guide for 50 vention is better understood, the same consists the bending of the counter blank into the counter in general of certain novel details of construcdesign i4. As shown in Figure 6, the lower edge tion and combination of parts hereinafter more i3 of the outer ply l I forms a shoulder to provide fully described, illustratori in the accompanying the top wall of the groove l5. It will be observed drawing, and specifically claimed. from an. inspection of Figures 4 and S that the 5|;

improved counter construction has the outwardly directed flange I2at to facilitate a stitch-down operation and the groove I5 to accommodate inseating of the Welt strip of the shoe.

The heel portion I'I of the shoe upper comprises the usual fabric lining I8 and the outer leather I9 with the counter I4 positioned between the lining I8 and leather I9. The lower edge I 8*l of the lining I8 is turned outwardly below the counter flange I2a while the outer leather I9 of the shoe heel upper that extends over the groove I5 is forced into the groove as shown at I9 in Figures 2 and 3 with the lower edge I9b of the outer leather I9 turned outwardly below the groove and engaged with the counter flange I2. 'Ihe insole ZI) is then secured at its marginal edges by wire, thread, or other stitching to the lower edge I8a of the lining I8, the flange I?a of the counter I l and the lower edge I9b of the upper leather I9.

The welt strip 2| is then placed over the outturned edge I9b of the upper leather I9 and is pressed into the groove I5 of the counter and by the stitch-down method the thread 22 secures the welt strip 2I, the outturned lower edges of the shoe upper and counter to the insole 2B and the outsole 23. The welt strip ZI is then pounded, hammered, or forced into the groove I5 in the counter as shown in Figures l to 3 to f create the appearance of an inseated heel characteristic of expensive shoe manufacture. Thereafter, leather and rubber heel lifts 24 and 25, respectively, are secured to the outsole 23 in the customary manner as by nailing or the like, al-

l though other forms of heel lifts or methods of attaching the same may be employed.

A shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention provided with the improved counter construction can be inexpensively manufactured but will have the appearance of a more expensive shoe such as found in shoes equipped with an inseated heel. The two plies ID and Il of the counter while providing the groove I5' also provide a counter of reenforced construction, resulting in the shoe holding its shape for a longer period.

The basic feature of the invention is to provide the groove I5 at the upper inner end of the outwardly directed flange I2a and the formation of this groove may be formed directly in a single ply counter to extend the entire length thereof.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, and While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be under stood that minor changes may be made in the details of construction, such as will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a counter construction for stitch-down shoes, a counter of two-ply formation and an outwardly directed flange on the lower margin of the inner ply spaced below the lower edge of the outer ply to form a groove at the inner upper side of the flange for the reception of the lower margin of the leather of the shoe upper and the Welt strip.

2. In a stitch-down shoe of the character described, a heel portion including an upper having a lining and an outer leather turned outwardly at their lower margins, an insole and an outsole and a heel counter between the upper lining and outer leather and having an outturned ange at its lower margin interposed between the outturned lower margins of the lining and outer leather of the upper, a welt strip overlying the outturned margin of the outer leather and stitched down through the outturned members, the insole and the outsole, and said counter being of two-ply formation with the outturned flange thereof carried by the inner ply and spaced below the outer ply to provide a groove to have the lower margin of the outer leather and a part of the welt strip located inwardly of the outer side of the upper portion of the outer leather in simulation of an inseated heel.

3. In a counter construction for stitch-down shoes, a counter comprising a body portion and an outwardly directed ange on the lower margin of the body portion of substantially half the thickness of the body portion with the lower face of the flange being continuous with the inner face of the body portion to form a groove, the top wall of which is formed by a shoulder on the body portion, said groove being at the inner upper side of the flange for the reception of the lower margin of the leather of the shoe upper and the welt strip.

JOHN RUSZCZYK. 

